PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between Andre Almeida (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and James Zipperstein (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). We have two fighters making their debuts here, so let's see who comes out of this one with their first professional victory.

Almeida
vs
Zipperstein

176 cm
18
159 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

182 cm
18
160 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

Good wrestling
Basic striking
Very quick

BJJ White Belt
Counter striker
Granite chin

Ganja's Warehouse

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the lightweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Andre Almeida!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, James Zipperstein!
The judges for this bout are Marco Blurström, Anni Minnemäki and Johanna Lukiainen.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Almeida closes the distance and looks for a trip takedown... aaaand he's got it - Almeida lands in his opponent's guard.
The referee is asking the fighters to pick up the pace.
Zipperstein is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.
Almeida trying to control the position from guard on top but Zipperstein is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Almeida is frustrating his opponent with some stalling tactics from top position.
Almeida stopping the sweep attempt from Zipperstein.
Almeida tries to free his leg and advance position but Zipperstein is retaining full guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Almeida engaging in some classic timewasting tactics.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up, due to lack of activity on the part of Andre Almeida.
Almeida doesn't manage to clinch there - Zipperstein circles away.
Zipperstein keeps the fight standing with a nice sprawl.
Zipperstein fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.
Almeida shoots in looking for a double leg takedown. Zipperstein defends it nicely.
Almeida shoots in for a takedown. "Ole!" shouts Zipperstein as he jumps to the side.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Andre Almeida. That's going to take a lot out of him.

Almeida drops down and drives through with a powerful takedown into guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Zipperstein is working an open guard here, looking to improve his position. No doubt that will leave him open to counters but at least he's being more offensive.
Almeida sitting in guard, not really doing much.
Almeida trying to control the position from guard on top but Zipperstein is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

Zipperstein is looking for a guillotine. You can't force these things though and Almeida defends well.
Almeida forces his way into half guard.
Almeida slips a nice elbow through Zipperstein's hands, connecting with Zipperstein's forehead.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Almeida lands a big shot. The thud that echoes around the arena is like music to the fans' ears.
The two fighters exchange a few words. I couldn't hear what they were saying but maybe it's more fun if you make it up yourself. Almeida connects with a nice short shot to Zipperstein's temple.
Almeida working the head and body with strikes.
Zipperstein looks gassed!
The referee walks around the fighters to get a better view of the action. Almeida lands a nice short elbow.
Zipperstein is looking to get full guard. It looks like he might be successful but at the last minute Almeida jumps into side control!
Almeida creates a bit of distance and throws down some hard shots.
Zipperstein takes a couple of big shots there - the referee warns him that he has to defend himself better.
Almeida creates a bit of distance and throws down some hard shots.
Zipperstein on the wrong end of some ground and pound.
Almeida creates a bit of distance and throws down some hard shots.
Almeida working away diligently from side control. Landing strikes effectively there - that will score him some points on the judges scorecards.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Almeida lands a few punches from side control.
Almeida has been looking to land a fair amount of strikes on the ground. He might be looking to soften his opponent up in order to work for a submission.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
The referee asks Almeida politely if he wouldn't mind getting on with it and actually doing something. Almeida prefers to stall for the moment though.
Almeida seems to have a rather negative gameplan on the ground. He seems keen to just score the takedown and hold down Zipperstein for as long as he can get away with.
Almeida works a knee to the body and follows up with a nice elbow to the head.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Zipperstein takes an elbow right on the bridge of the nose and winces in pain.
Zipperstein trying to remain calm as Almeida controls from the top position.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Andre Almeida dominated that round.
That's time! Back to the action!

Almeida drops down and drives through with a powerful takedown into guard.
We get told so often about how wrestlers don't like to be on their backs. Let's see if Zipperstein can do anything to dispel that myth.
Almeida is looking to work some ground and pound but Zipperstein has wrist control.
Zipperstein is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.
Almeida sneaks a leg through and gets to half guard. That was like a knife through butter how easily he passed Zipperstein's guard.
Almeida moves nicely into side control.
Zipperstein really doesn't want to stay on the ground with Almeida. If he can't get it back to his feet, it's only a matter of time before he'll be tapping out.
Almeida taking a breather here.
Almeida lands an elbow.
Zipperstein is looking for a sweep.
Zipperstein is breathing heavily.
Almeida scores with a couple of nice shots to the head there. The referee takes a look at Zipperstein to see if he's OK.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Almeida is pausing for a moment. What's he doing? It looks like he's clearing his nose. Oh dude! He's shot a load of snot all down Zipperstein's shoulder. That is not cool.
Zipperstein is working to avoid the ground and pound but Almeida connects with a decent elbow.
Almeida working the ground and pound from side control.
Check out the look on Almeida's face as he threw that strike - that's one determined fighter!
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Almeida working the ground and pound.
Almeida creates a bit of distance and throws down some hard shots.
Zipperstein trying to remain calm as Almeida controls from the top position.
Almeida landing a few strikes.
Zipperstein takes a nasty elbow to the side of the head.
Almeida cracks Zipperstein with an elbow. That is naaassty.
Zipperstein trying to remain calm as Almeida controls from the top position.
Zipperstein is not in a great position here, taking some shots.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Zipperstein is not in a great position here, taking some shots.
Almeida scores with a couple of nice shots to the head there. The referee takes a look at Zipperstein to see if he's OK.
Zipperstein takes a big shot right to the temple there but he's taken it well.
Zipperstein taking punishment in the form of punches.
Almeida landing strikes.
Almeida advances to mount.
Almeida landing shots from mount.
Almeida with a couple of short strikes.
Almeida lands a big shot there that rocks Zipperstein but he's holding on and managing to survive for now.
Almeida looking to control and managing it successfully.
Almeida working Zipperstein over with strikes here.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Almeida lands an elbow that was bordering on illegal but the referee lets it go with a warning.
Almeida raining down shots from the mount!
The crowd growing excited in anticipation of a finish here! Right on cue, Almeida cracks his opponent with a massive right hand that draws loud cheers!
Almeida lands an elbow that was bordering on illegal but the referee lets it go with a warning.
Almeida content just to control the position here.
Almeida landing strikes from the mount and Zipperstein is in trouble!
Almeida working Zipperstein over with strikes here.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Almeida working away from the top, dropping strikes.
Almeida lands a nice shot to the head.
Almeida raining down shots from the mount!
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Almeida scores with a couple of good head shots there.
Almeida takes a little breather and maintains the position. The referee will be looking for him to stay active from such a dominant position though.
Almeida lands a heavy elbow.
Almeida with the ground and pound from mount.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!
Almeida pausing momentarily but resumes with a couple of decent strikes that do a bit of damage.
Zipperstein in a bad spot here, taking shots to the head.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Andre Almeida dominated that second round.
That's time! Almeida's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight. Ladies and gentlemen, this is the final round!

Almeida feints and as Zipperstein raises his hands in defense, Almeida changes levels and drives through with a takedown into guard.
Almeida distracts Zipperstein with his right hand and drops a big elbow with his other arm.
Zipperstein can't do much from the bottom at the moment, as Almeida controls the pace.
Almeida scores with a decent looking elbow strike.
Almeida is working the ground and pound from guard. He might want to try advancing position though to get more of an impact.
Almeida trying to control the position from guard on top but Zipperstein is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Almeida lands a nice shot whilst sitting in his opponent's guard.
Almeida makes a bit of distance and scores with some ground and pound, still in guard.
Almeida controls the pace of the fight for a moment.
Zipperstein takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Almeida is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Zipperstein can do to turn this around?

That's one minute gone in the round.
Almeida makes a bit of distance and scores with some ground and pound, still in guard.
Almeida pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Zipperstein is keeping the position for now.
Almeida makes a bit of distance and scores with some ground and pound, still in guard.
Almeida pushing down on Zipperstein's thigh, trying to pass to half guard. He's managed it... Nice work.
Almeida working some ground and pound from close in. He's looking to maintain this position and strike for a while by the looks of things... although he'll probably advance to full mount in a minute now I've said that.
Almeida perhaps working for something from half guard, or maybe not. It looks like he's just sitting there.
The two fighters exchange a few words. I couldn't hear what they were saying but maybe it's more fun if you make it up yourself. Almeida connects with a nice short shot to Zipperstein's temple.
Neither fighter is being very active at the moment, with Almeida in particular looking to stall.
Almeida slips a nice elbow through Zipperstein's hands, connecting with Zipperstein's forehead.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Almeida perhaps working for something from half guard, or maybe not. It looks like he's just sitting there.
Almeida landing with strikes to the body and head, softening up his opponent.
Almeida lands with an elbow from half guard - that looked like it hurt.
Almeida looks towards his corner to check for any instructions. The corner give him nothing to work with, so he cracks Zipperstein with a short hammerfist. I guess that's as good as any advice he could get in this position.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Almeida content to sit in half guard and control for a moment.
Almeida has controlled the position for a good 20 seconds, which will no doubt be starting to frustrate his opponent.
Almeida slips a nice elbow through Zipperstein's hands, connecting with Zipperstein's forehead.
Almeida seems content to maintain position for now, rather than mounting any offense.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Almeida drops an elbow to the side of Zipperstein's head.
Almeida working over Zipperstein with some ground and pound. Zipperstein looks like he wants out of this position, which is understandable.
Almeida working some ground and pound from close in. He's looking to maintain this position and strike for a while by the looks of things... although he'll probably advance to full mount in a minute now I've said that.
Almeida lands with an elbow from half guard - that looked like it hurt.
The two fighters exchange a few words. I couldn't hear what they were saying but maybe it's more fun if you make it up yourself. Almeida connects with a nice short shot to Zipperstein's temple.
Almeida drops an elbow to the side of Zipperstein's head.
Almeida is looking to pass the guard... He's managed it - he's now in full mount!

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Almeida landing punches.
Almeida scores with a couple of good head shots there.
Almeida has his opponent pinned against the cage, landing some nasty ground and pound that is really making a bit of a mess out of Zipperstein's face.
Almeida punishing his opponent with strikes.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Zipperstein is looking to improve his position but Almeida isn't that keen on the idea.
Almeida is still in mount, landing shots to his trapped opponent. Zipperstein can't stay in a position like this for much longer.
Almeida with good strikes from the mount here!
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Zipperstein in a bad spot here, taking shots to the head.
Almeida is in the full mount, landing strikes.
James Zipperstein has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Andre Almeida is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Almeida controlling the position easily from mount.

And that's the end of the fight!
Andre Almeida showed his dominance in that final round.
Well Almeida has outscored his opponent in every aspect of the fight today. Only a scarily incompetent judge or two will keep him from a well deserved win... Over to the ring announcer for the scorecards.

Ladies and gentlemen, after 3 rounds of action, we go to the scorecards for a decision.
Judge Marco Blurström scores the fight 30:25
Judge Anni Minnemäki scores the fight 30:25
Judge Johanna Lukiainen scores the fight 30:25

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Andre Almeida!